Bloodstream
by dolphin62598
Summary: A FAGE 007 written for Twiliteaddict Fanfic/TwiliteAddict - Dr. Cullen has to make a difficult decision. What happens when a beautiful new bartender gets into Dr. Cullen's bloodstream?


**FAGE 007**

**Title: Bloodstream**

**Written for: ****Twiliteaddict Fanfic/TwiliteAddict**

**Written By: dolphin62598**

**Rating: M**

**Summary/Prompt used: Dr. Cullen has to make a difficult decision. **

_If you would like to see all the stories that are a part of this exchange visit the facebook group: Fanficaholics Anon: Where Obsession Never Sleeps, or add the C2 to get all the stories direct to your inbox. _

_ www . fanfiction community /FAGE-007/93625/_

_A/N: Thank you to breath-of-twilight/kf Goodyear for beta'ing this bad boy for me! It would not look nearly as nice if it weren't for her! All mistakes are mine as I tinkered after I got it back! A big thank you to Tiffany Cullen for all her work putting this FAGE together! She always does such a great job! _

_**Songs for this one-shot: **_

_Bloodstream ~ Stateless_

_Almost Lover ~ A Fine Frenzy_

_Ribs ~ Lorde_

_Little Bit ~ Lykke Li_

_Infinity ~ The xx_

The clock chimed six times in the spacious office. Edward Cullen ran his hand through his chaotic hair, the strands seeming to riot against any type of order. He didn't mind though, as it made him look as if he'd just rolled out of bed. He didn't put that much effort into his appearance, but he didn't need to. The venom that ran through his veins made sure that he was highly attractive to his prey.

His skin was as smooth as alabaster porcelain, his muscles carved from the stone his body had become. His green eyes pierced whomever they looked upon, leaving most of the female and some of the male population speechless when he looked their way. At times, this made his job as a physician quite difficult, but he was blessed with the ability to read minds at will, leaving his colleagues astounded at his skill to diagnose his patients.

"Parker is here to see you," Maria, his receptionist, chirped through the intercom.

"Send him in," Edward replied.

"Edward." Parker grinned as he seated himself across from Edward.

"Parker." He grinned back, his lips curving slightly higher on one side than the other.

"You in for poker tonight?"

Edward started to shake his head, but Parker huffed.

"Come on, you've missed the last four games. Brianna misses seeing you at the pub."

"It's been busy here," Edward replied lamely. He hated to disappoint Parker, but his need for blood had been almost insatiable lately and he spent most of his nights hunting. When he wasn't hunting, he spent time trying to fix the hospital's finances. They were bleeding money and Edward was trying to help sort out the mess, no thanks to his adoptive father, Carlisle, who was on the hospital board.

Carlisle had changed Edward in 1918 when he'd been struck with the Spanish influenza. He was only eighteen at the time, and Edward's birth mother's last wish was that Carlisle save Edward, no matter the means. Carlisle had taken his promise to her to heart and changed Edward. He spent several years hating Carlisle and what he'd done to him, but once he'd calmed down, he spent centuries perfecting his control and learning how to live amongst humans. Carlisle eventually changed his soul mate, Esme, and they became a family. Esme was a gentle soul and really brought them together. Edward was thankful to have her in their lives.

"What time?" Edward finally asked Parker.

"Eight," he replied. "Come on man, it's a Friday. You can let loose a little. You've been here day and night for weeks. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were a vampire," he chuckled.

Edward snorted and shook his head as he mentally ran through each interaction he'd had with Parker since he met him. He had no reason to suspect Edward. "I'd have eaten your lame ass by now if I were."

"Think your cousin will join us?" Parker asked, referring to Carlisle. Carlisle appeared much too young to be Edward's father, so they always introduced each other as cousins to avoid suspicion.

"I think it's date night for him," Edward chuckled.

"Better him than me," Parker laughed. "I am not ready to be tied down like that."

Edward nodded his head, but his long-dead heart ached for companionship like Carlisle had with Esme. He longed to find his soul mate.

"I'll meet you at the pub," Edward said, dismissing Parker.

Edward arrived at the pub freshly showered, his hunger under control, and relieved to be out of the house for once. Esme had candles lit around the entire house by the time he left and he shuddered to think of what was happening with them while he was away. He briefly toyed with renting a hotel room for the evening but decided on going back to the hospital after his night out instead.

"Edward," Brianna simpered, her blonde hair twisted around her finger.

It was not that Edward didn't find Brianna attractive, but she tried too hard and Edward didn't like the way she smelled. Her scent was like musty, wet towels left in the washer for too long.

"Hi Brianna," he replied and made his way through the bar to the back room where the poker tournaments were held.

As he approached the room, he hit a wall of the most amazing scent he'd ever smelled. It was an ambrosia of heavenly flowers and vanilla. His mouth pooled with venom as he rounded the corner into the room. The scent seemed to be more concentrated in the poker room. His eyes scanned the minds of the men in the room as he looked for the culprit.

He knew even before he set his sights on her that she was his mate. Her long brown hair swung down the middle of her back as she made her way around the room, a tray full of drinks balanced on her palm. Tiny denim shorts barely covered her ass cheeks and a white t-shirt stretched across her ample bust. She was petite and the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.

The men's thoughts in the room mostly centered around her. He wondered how long she'd been working here. He tuned out of their thoughts as some teetered on sexual causing a feral growl to crawl up from deep within his chest. Pain washed over him as he swallowed the endless pool of venom. He held his breath as she looked his way, her brown eyes penetrating him with their warmth. She sent a wink his way as she approached him. He opened his mind to hear her thoughts, but oddly, she remained silent.

"Can I get you anything?" Her soft voice floated over him as her scent became stronger.

He grimaced and tried turning it into a smile as he shook his head, certain that he looked constipated.

She nodded with a shy smile. "Well, my name is Bella, if I can get you anything, just let me know." She patted him on the arm and walked out of the room with her empty tray.

His skin tingled and he could still feel the impression of her warm fingers on his arm.

"Edward," Parker yelled from across the room. "Come on, man."

He exhaled in a whoosh and hurried over to the table. "Five card stud," Max, the dealer, said as a new hand was dealt.

Edward tried hard to focus on the game and the conversation going on around him, but the only thing he was hyperaware of was Bella's presence in the room. He followed her in his peripheral vision and watched as she worked for her tips. The men were eating out of her hand. He didn't blame them. He wanted to hand over his soul to her.

As the night wound down and the games ended, he found himself in a darkened corner of the bar just observing Bella. He was pleased with his restraint, although he chalked it up to being too obsessed with understanding Bella and who she was to really concentrate or think about his need to drain her very life force.

He slipped out shortly after Brianna announced the last call of the night and waited in his car for Bella to exit the bar. He was rewarded with that only moments later, and as she walked to a rusty, old Chevrolet pickup truck, he scowled. His frown grew as the truck roared to life and sputtered out of the parking lot. He revved the engine of his Audi and kept his distance from her as he followed her home.

She pulled into the driveway of a small two story home only a few miles from the bar. Once he saw a light turn on upstairs, he relaxed slightly and decided to return home. He prayed that Esme and Carlisle weren't in any compromising positions as he really needed to discuss this with Carlisle.

He parked his car in the garage of the home he shared with Carlisle and Esme and quietly announced his return.

Carlisle murmured, "Come in."

"Did you have a good night?" Esme asked, descending the stairs.

"Extraordinary," he murmured, shaking his head, allowing himself to think of her scent now.

"Do you have something that you want to discuss?" Carlisle asked as Edward approached the living room.

"I met the most amazing woman tonight. Well...I don't know too much about her, but her scent..." Edward trailed off as he tried hard to formulate his thoughts.

"The most amazing thing you've ever smelled in your life?" Carlisle interjected, wide-eyed, while Edward nodded.

. "You've met your singer, son. It's a remarkable occurrence and doesn't happen very often. I only know of one other time that a vampire happened upon their singer...Marcus, a friend of mine from the early 1900s. Unfortunately, he couldn't control his blood lust around her and ended up killing her. It devastated him, and he went into hiding not long after. I heard that he joined forces with the Italian vampire army a few centuries after she died."

"I don't understand how I didn't drain her," Edward pointed out.

"Your mind is a thing of beauty, Edward. I believe that with your ability to read minds, you can also compartmentalize things. You simply pushed your desire to drain her to the back of your mind and left it there."

"I didn't know I had that kind of control. I've been exceedingly hungry lately. I wonder if it has anything to do with her arriving in town? I know she's new...I've never seen her before."

Carlisle nodded and Esme smiled widely. "What do you plan to do?" she asked.

"I'm not sure," Edward replied and ascended the stairs to his bedroom. Immediately, his mind took on the role of making her his, but he had strong reservations about changing someone who wasn't dying. He most definitely didn't want to take her life from her. He'd have to settle with watching her grow old and letting her live for the short time she was allowed on this earth.

Saturday evening found Edward at the pub yet again. Once he saw Bella's truck outside, he knew that his plans had solidified for the evening.

"Nice to see you here again," Bella greeted as he slid onto a stool at the bar.

"Hello, Bella," Edward gurgled, grimacing at his inability to speak. Her scent seemed stronger tonight, but he pushed it to the back of his mind.

"I never did get your name last night," she replied.

"Edward," he croaked.

"That sure is an old-fashioned name. You don't hear it too often anymore. I like it."

He nodded and grinned as well, noticing Bella's eyes glaze over as the smile slowly slid off her face. She shook her head to clear it and blew out a deep breath in Edward's direction. He held his breath and prayed that he could maintain control.

"What can I get you?"

"Vodka on the rocks, please," he said quietly. He sat entranced by her movements. The way she bit her lip in concentration while she prepared his drink had him mesmerized.

"I'll be right back," she whispered after she set his drink in front of him. He watched her scurry into the back and counted the minutes until she appeared again. She tried to keep her distance from him, but he could tell that she was struggling. Eventually, she made her way back over to him.

"Refill?"

He nodded and bit his lip, watching as she poured a double shot into his glass and garnished it with a lime wedge.

"What do you like to do in your free time?" he asked quickly before she could run from him again.

"Uh...well photography has always been a hobby of mine," she murmured. "I enjoy writing, as well, but I only do that for fun. Books have always been my friend, and I have a weird obsession with paranormal shows," she blurted as she stared at his mouth.

"I enjoy _Ghost Adventures_, but my favorite is _The Dead Files_," Edward admitted. "Do you believe in the paranormal?"

"Oh, most definitely," she chuckled. "I think I've seen my dead parents hundreds of times. It wasn't until I moved back here that they stopped visiting."

"I'm sorry to hear about your parents," he offered sincerely.

She waved him off and ran her fingers through her hair. "It happened quite a few years ago, and with no other family left I've been on my own since then."

Edward nodded and sipped his drink. He was trying to control his urge to wrap himself around this magnificent creature and never let go. A war was starting within himself and he wasn't sure which side would win, but he knew that he'd follow Bella wherever she went.

"What do you do for a living?" she asked, wiping the bar down in front of him.

"I'm a doctor," he replied quietly.

Her eyebrows lifted as her eyes widened. "I'll probably see you soon then," she chuckled. "I'm horribly uncoordinated. I trip on flat surfaces."

"Have you ever been severely injured?" he asked, trying to hold back the concern he felt flooding his emotions.

She shook her head. "Only minor injuries here and there."

"I'll keep my eye out for you then," he laughed.

She grinned and meandered down to the other end of the bar where a patron had waved her down. He didn't like the way the man was leering at Bella and flinched as he felt the edge of the bar splinter slightly from his grip. He released his hold on the wood but growled lowly at the now group of men that had gathered at the bar to speak with Bella. She didn't look uncomfortable, but he could tell her smile was forced as she gathered drinks for them.

She finally walked away as a woman took a seat at the bar a few stools down from Edward. He barely noticed the new customer, but Bella's reaction was interesting as her eyes narrowed. He chanced a glance at the woman and noticed that she was staring at him with a flirtatious grin. Her cleavage was on full display as she pushed her arms together slightly. Edward smiled half-heartedly and turned his attention back to Bella who was now standing in front of the woman.

"Can I get you something?" she asked, her voice filled with forced politeness.

"I'll have a tall glass of him," the woman whispered, pointing in Edward's direction. Bella huffed and glared as the woman kept her attention on Edward.

"Sorry, I don't have him on tap," Bella snapped after several seconds. "Is there something else I can get you?"

Edward wanted to chuckle at Bella's fierce reaction. She was a feisty kitten, but as he observed her reaction, he knew that she felt something towards him as well.

"Keep up that attitude and you won't get a tip," the woman hissed at Bella.

"I don't need your money," Bella growled. "Order a drink or get out."

"I'll have a sex on the beach," she announced and glanced Edward's way again.

"Of course you will," Bella mumbled.

After the woman received her drink, she slid down one stool towards Edward.

"Hello, handsome, do you have a name?"

"Not one that I'm willing to share," Edward replied with a smirk, never removing his eyes from Bella.

She scoffed then murmured, "You two are made for each other. Have fun cracking that shell."

Edward shook his head as the woman approached the group of men at the other end of the bar.

"Sorry about that," Bella sighed. "She's in here several times a week and always leaves with a different man. I didn't want you to get tangled up in that, but now that I think of it, maybe that's what you're looking for?" She glanced up at Edward through her lashes, and her cheeks tinted a light shade of pink as the blood rushed to her face. Edward swallowed the venom that gathered in his mouth.

"That's definitely not what I'm looking for," he whispered in reply. Their gazes locked and grew fierce as the heat between them intensified.

"Why am I so drawn to you?" she murmured.

"I'm just as drawn as you."

Bella spun on her heel and announced last call. A collective groan rolled through the room as the bus boy scrambled around collecting glasses and dishes left around the bar. Bella started closing up things behind the bar as a few people trickled out of the bar.

After fifteen minutes, she had everything closed up and was ready to leave.

"Thanks for staying," she murmured.

"It was my pleasure."

They walked closely through the parking lot, and Edward felt a surge of lust rush through his body. He caged Bella in against the side of her truck, pressing his body gently into hers. "You're so beautiful," he said, stroking her cheek.

"You're unlike anyone I've ever met," Bella whimpered, stunned. "Please..." she begged.

He lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers, the heat from her body zinging across his skin like an electrical impulse.

She opened her mouth and sucked his bottom lip into her mouth before biting down. He groaned and felt the metal of her truck bed denting under the pressure of his hand. It had been so long since he'd kissed a woman, he wasn't sure if he could control himself. She was so much more than any woman he'd ever been with. His body vibrated with the need to make her his own.

Their tongues danced as they explored each other's mouths. Bella's heart rate had picked up speed as her breathing became shallow.

"Please," she whispered again as he trailed his lips down the column of her neck. "Follow me home?"

Edward nodded slightly and reluctantly let her go. "I'm just...down the block," she panted and jerked her thumb towards her house. He nodded and jogged to his car, willing the overwhelming bloodlust to the back of his mind.

Only moments after Bella had unlocked the door, their lips locked in a frenzy of desperation. Edward was finding it increasingly difficult to hold himself together, but also warred with himself about stopping. She felt so good in his arms. Her smooth, porcelain skin was so delicate and paper-thin...it would just take one slight slip of his teeth and he could taste her.

Abruptly, he pulled back, breathing deeply and apologizing. Bella's heartbeat slowed slightly, but he could almost feel the embarrassment wrap itself around her.

"It's not you, Bella. It's my own control that I'm worried about. I don't want to be too...rough with you," he stuttered, trying to reassure her as her face fell.

"It's fine, Edward. The door is just over there if you need to leave," she muttered and pointed towards the door they had just entered moments before.

"I just...I need to cool off a little. Can I see you again?" he pleaded.

"I don't know," she whispered and slowly walked up the stairs.

Edward realized, in that moment, that Bella's confidence was just as fragile as her body and he vowed to do anything he could to fix that. He wanted her to know how beautiful she was.

Days passed and Edward's anxiety escalated as he never caught Bella at the bar or at home between shifts at the hospital. He was so upset with himself that he drowned in his work, hardly ever stopping except when Carlisle would come in and force him.

As he drove back to the hospital one night, he decided to drive past Bella's house once more. He spotted her in her window of what he assumed was her bedroom. Her head was down and she was rubbing her temples. He sat, staring for as long as he could before he had to leave to go back to the hospital.

The next night he caught her coming out of the bar after her shift, her face drawn and eyes downcast. He scowled as his eyebrows drew together. Her sadness affected his very existence. He felt the weight of what he'd done on his shoulders as if he were holding a boulder.

Two days after he caught her outside of the bar, he found her entering her house as he drove up. She stopped and glanced at the car as her eyes widened slightly. Edward jumped out of the car and jogged up to her, grabbing her around the waist and pressing his lips to hers.

"I can't stay away from you any longer," he murmured and pressed her into the front door of her house. She moaned and clutched his hair as he turned the doorknob and stumbled into the house.

Clothing was shed piece by piece as he carried her up the stairs to her bedroom.

"You're so perfect," he mumbled into the naked skin of her breasts. "So gorgeous and tempting."

She moaned in response, her eyes sliding closed and her chest arching up into his chest. He slowly removed her panties and followed with his boxer briefs. The scent from the apex of her legs was intoxicating as he buried his face between her thighs.

"Fuck," she cried out as his tongue lapped at her entrance, his nose massaging her clit gently. "Please don't stop," she keened as her orgasm washed over her. Every muscle in her body tensed as he lapped up everything she had to give.

Before she could come down, Edward slid into her, slowly and gently. "Ahhhh," she howled, clutching her hair, her eyes snapping open just to roll back in her head again.

"Fuck...you feel so amazing," she panted as he pressed into her again. He couldn't agree more, and, at that moment, her warm heat surrounded him and made him feel alive. He decided that he would never change her, but eventually, he'd have to tell her what he was.

"You...I'm at a loss for words, Bella," he growled as her heat sucked him further in. "You're so tight and fuck...my cock fits you like a glove."

"Oh damn," she sobbed as another orgasm took over her.

Edward restrained himself as much as possible, but found himself pistoning into her, his pelvis slapping her ass as he placed her ankles on his shoulders. Euphoria soon washed over him, as well, making him forget where he was or who he was with, but he remembered enough to slide to the side of her as not to crush her.

"That was amazing," she whispered as she rolled into his side, breathing deeply. "You smell so good," she murmured as sleep claimed her.

Edward smiled as he watched her nose twitch and her fingers flex in her sleep. "Just like a kitten," he thought and chuckled quietly.

After an hour or so, he slipped out of bed, afraid that his control would start waning. He scribbled a note and left his phone number and asked that she please call him. He used the hospital as an excuse. He prayed that she didn't blame herself or think less of herself for sleeping with him. He wanted to marry her...be with her...for the rest of her life.

After showering and feeding, he made his way to the hospital, feeling guilty that he'd lied to Bella about his shift. He couldn't help the beaming smile that was plastered on his face or the spring in his step.

"What's got you in such a good mood," Parker asked as Edward approached his office.

"Just a good night, that's all," Edward replied.

"You nailed that new chick from the pub, didn't you?" Parker guessed with a wide grin on his face.

Edward shrugged, but gave Parker a side-eye as he filed a few patient files away.

"Nice...I knew it," he exclaimed with a fist pump. "I knew you'd lighten up if you got laid. So, what the hell are you doing here?"

"I just have a couple of things to wrap up and then I'm taking a few days off," Edward replied.

"Good for you, man. Turn your damn phone off the second you walk out those doors," Parker said and smiled. "It's getting nasty out there though, so be careful," he warned and pointed towards the window. "See you when you get back." Edward nodded and walked to the window to see the snow and ice mix falling from the sky. Daylight had turned to dusk and an uneasy feeling settled over him.

He gathered his things and locked his office before heading to his car and driving down the dark, winding road away from the hospital. The uneasy feeling grew as he neared the hairpin turns that snaked down the hilltop that the hospital sat on.

Anxiousness settled in the pit of his stomach as he rounded the last turn and saw headlights facing up from the embankment. "Bella," he whispered as pain laced his features. Throwing the car into park, he raced down the embankment and to the stalled truck that was facing the road, only being held from tumbling further down the hill by one large tree trunk.

As he reached the driver side door, he gasped as he saw the steering wheel jutting into Bella's abdomen. She gurgled as he opened the door and the intense smell of her blood permeated the air.

"Bella," he called out while trying to hold his breath.

Her eyes fluttered open and a serene smile graced her face as she whispered, "Edward."

Using his super-human strength, he pried the steering wheel away from her body and rushed her up the hill and into his car. He paid no attention to the speed limit as he raced to his house.

"Carlisle," he called frantically as he gathered Bella into his arms and ran into the house.

"Oh my," Esme gasped. "What happened?"

"She wrecked her truck," he replied, urgency flooding his tone. "Carlisle," he called again.

"Bring her in here, son," Carlisle called from his office.

Edward entered the office and gently laid Bella on the couch. "Her heartbeat is getting weaker," Carlisle warned him. "You need to make a decision now."

"I...I can't do that," Edward whispered, horrified.

"She's your mate, Edward," Esme pointed out. "You'll never find another."

"What if she hates me for changing her?"

"She'll eventually get over it," Carlisle answered. "You did."

Edward squeezed his eyes shut as glimpses of the future flooded his mind: a beautiful, snow filled meadow and a lone pine tree lit with twinkling white lights in the center. Bella giggled as she tossed a snowball at Edward. She ran from him, her auburn hair flying behind her like a cape. Her porcelain skin just as smooth, but now indestructible. Her pouty lips, now a beautiful shade of ruby red. Her brown eyes glittering golden in the white lights from the tree.

Another flash of Bella in a bikini splashing in the surf of the ocean. "Come join me," she invited him and skimmed the water with her fingertips. Her long legs dancing along the water as she dodged and escaped his grasp, giggling wildly.

"Edward," Carlisle shouted. "You have to decide now. She only has moments left."

He nodded his head and approached her beautiful, prone body, her hair mangled from the accident, but still gorgeous. He winced at her disfigured abdomen, wondering how many ribs she'd cracked and if her lungs had been punctured. Gently, he reached down and stroked her cheek.

"Please don't hate me," he whispered before sinking his teeth into her neck. Her blood was the ambrosia that he knew it would be. He wanted to drink his fill, but luckily Carlisle pulled him away.

Edward stumbled back and tried to calm himself as he watched Carlisle biting her wrists and the backs of her knees, injecting as much venom as he could.

"Now we just have to wait," Carlisle said, tenderly patting Edward on the shoulder. "I think you'll find that you made the right decision."

"She's going to be a wonderful addition to our family," Esme whispered and beamed at Edward.

"Her truck," Edward gasped.

"I'll take care of it," Carlisle said with a nod. "I better get moving now, though, before someone else sees it."

Edward agonized for hours over his decision to turn Bella, his mate. He prayed that she wouldn't wake up and truly hate him for making this decision without her consent. Esme would come and sit with him and offer her quiet support while brushing Bella's now beautiful auburn hair. The change was happening before their eyes, and, as it did, Edward retreated into himself even more.

Carlisle arrived back home several hours later looking more haggard than Edward had ever seen.

"We won't be able to stay much longer after Bella wakes," he spoke softly. "The sheriff was at the scene when I arrived. He was suspicious that there wasn't anyone in the vehicle, but the driver left behind a purse. I suggested that the driver perhaps stumbled from the vehicle in shock." Carlisle sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "They're looking for her now, but I doubt they'd come here. They went down the hill and into the forest away from our house."

"I forgot about her purse," Edward groaned. "Not that they couldn't have run her plates."

"Exactly," Carlisle nodded. "We'll spin a story about our departure and everything will be fine. Don't worry about it, Edward."

He nodded and took his vigil by Bella's side again. He heard murmurs from the kitchen as Esme and Carlisle discussed plans, but Edward couldn't focus on them. He took Bella's hand in his own and pressed his forehead to it, relishing in the slight warmth that still remained in her skin.

Carlisle approached his office hours later to find Bella's eyes open and Edward's forehead pressed to her hand. She smiled kindly at him and pressed a finger to her lips. He smiled in return, but it faltered the moment Edward gasped and his head shot up.

"Bella," he whispered.

"Hey," she replied, grinning from ear to ear.

"Are you...how are you feeling?" he muttered.

"Pretty excellent, especially considering I was in an accident that should have killed me. Right now, I feel like I could take on the world."

"How...are..." Edward sputtered. "You..."

"Wanna explain that to me?" she snarked playfully and sat up, her hand still encased in his. "And why does my throat burn?"

"Bella, I'm so sorry," he whimpered. "I had to do it...I'd just found you...I couldn't let you go. Please don't hate me."

Her eyebrows furrowed as she looked at Edward.

"You...I had to change you," Edward started, but shook his head. He looked around for Carlisle, but frowned at the now closed office door. Esme and Carlisle must have decided to give him some space with his mate.

"I'm a vampire," he blurted suddenly and glanced at Bella to see her reaction. "You were dying," he added.

"Well, I guess we should go find me some blood then. I'm really thirsty," she pointed out.

"Of course," he whispered, surprised at how easily she was accepting everything that he had told her and all that had happened to her.

"You can tell me the whole story while we look for food," she added, her tone light and airy.

Edward nodded, awed, and led her to the sliding doors at the back of the house and into the forest.

"Welcome to the family," Esme whispered as she watched Edward and Bella retreat into the forest.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Carlisle asked, worry finally lacing his tone.

"I think she'll be just fine. She didn't wake up hissing or trashing the house, and she seems very calm. She's absolutely gorgeous, though," she said wistfully, her happiness for Edward pouring from her.

"Do you think she'll like London?"

"I don't think it will matter where we go, Carlisle. She'll just be happy to be with Edward."

He nodded and went back to the suitcase to continue packing their things.

"Okay, story time," Bella said and Esme strained to hear as they moved further from the house.

"You...you got into my bloodstream," Edward mumbled. "You are my forever."

"I think I can work with that," she replied happily.

_**A/N: Hope you enjoyed! **___


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